Two 15-year-old boys have been charged after a female police officer was stabbed as she tried to stop a shop being robbed.

The teenagers, neither of whom have been named because of their age, will appear at Highbury Corner Youth Court on Tuesday to face a number of charges.

One boy, from Barking, is accused of grievous bodily harm for allegedly stabbing the Metropolitan Police officer near a grocery shop in Chapter Street, Westminster, London on Sunday.

Both he and the second boy, who is from Hampshire, are accused of assault by beating on a police officer, attempted robbery, threatening a person with a knife, assault by beating and criminal damage.

It is claimed that police officers were on patrol in Westminster when they saw two males armed with knives attempting to rob the store at around 3.42pm on Sunday.

As they challenged the suspects, one of the officers was stabbed in the abdomen but continued to give chase.

She was taken to hospital but later discharged.